Airlie Montgomery’s funeral: Emotional parents say goodbye to six-year-old who died after cliff fall

The Shoalhaven community have grieved on Thursday as parents Cory and Katie Montgomery celebrated the life of their “magic Airlie fairy”, the six-year-old whose laughter and courage touched countless lives before her tragic death on March 16.

Mourners wore Airlie’s favourite colour, purple, and blew bubbles in tribute to the non-verbal autistic girl, who wandered 800m from her North Nowra home and fell from cliffs at The Grotto Reserve.

Holding back tears, Cory described visiting the site a few days earlier.

“A few days ago, I walked those 800m,” he said, according to The Daily Tele.

“I sat at the edge of those cliffs on my own. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and I spoke out loud.

“I said, hey Fairy, you couldn’t have picked a more beautiful spot. I can hear you calling to me, but I’m so sorry baby, I have to stay here to look after mummy.”

Airlie’s cousin Marley Mosman remembered her infectious ”belly laugh”.

“In these short few years she touched us in ways we never thought she could,” she said.

While therapists Claire and Emma, who had worked with Airlie for years, revealed how the ”bright little girl” had taught them to see beauty in overlooked details.

“She faced the world with courage and determination,” Claire said.

Fighting back tears Emma said “we are absolutely heartbroken to say goodbye.”

She also said she knew as therapists they were teaching her, but in the end “she taught us”.

As Katy Perry’s song Roar, Airlie’s anthem, filled the hall, her small white casket was carried past her weeping mother Katie, who rested her head against it in a final embrace.

Outside, hundreds of bubbles floated, as blowing bubbles was something Airlie loved to do.

The funeral followed weeks of tributes at The Grotto, where teddy bears and flowers still mark the trail Airlie walked on her last afternoon.